Month: December 2017

Bearing failure can have a devastating effect on your automotive vehicle. Not only is it the most common cause of car damage, bearing-related problems can also contribute to inefficient wheel rotation, excessive steering wheel wobble, uneven tire wear, and the potential of your wheel falling off.

On a typical passenger vehicle, wheel bearings have an extensive life cycle. Serviceable 1st generation wheel bearings typically last for 25,000 to 30,000 miles. Third generation wheel bearings meanwhile require less service, averaging approximately 50,000 to 60,000 miles.

Even with planning and maintenance, unexpected and premature bearing damage can occur. If you’ve just replaced these and your vehicle starts displaying symptoms of bearing failure, this can be a sign for you to contact your licensed mechanic.

Identifying and correcting symptoms of premature bearing damage will allow your wheel bearings to maximize their longevity and operational efficiency.

Understanding premature bearing damage

Bearings are designed to have a substantial service life. When these fail prematurely, it’s important to determine the exact cause. Accurate diagnosis prevents repeated failures which save you additional expenses in the long run.

Under normal operating conditions, automotive bearings will reach their full designed life expectancy. Such failings are due to causes that are avoidable which when understood will allow you to take recommended actions to prevent future operational downtime.

Improper lubrication

When done correctly, lubrication should serve to prolong a bearing’s service life by preventing rust and corrosion apart from keeping foreign contaminants and objects from penetrating its assembly’s rolling elements.

Using too much, too little, or the wrong type of lubricant will contribute to premature bearing damage. Improper application leads to bearing failure which contributes to excessive wear and tear, or overheating. When applying, ensure that the right quantity is used.

The bearing manufacturer and distributor will outline recommendations to maximize service life with each lubricant application. Several factors such as NLGI rating, viscosity, etc. will determine the right amount and type necessary for application.

Misassembled bearings

Servicing your own bearings can be a costly and time consuming process. Without the right tools and some good instructions, it can be near difficult to achieve and may lead to misalignment or poor installation even before new bearings will have a chance to function.

It’s advisable to employ a professional technician who has the know-how and expertise to properly mount your bearings. Just ensure that he uses the proper tools and checks proper dimensions, clearance, and work area cleanliness before installation.

The inability to verify the right tolerance levels, radial clearance, and alignment can contribute to premature bearing damage. This can reduce optimal bearing life, reliability, and performance which may result in additional expenses in the future.

Contamination

There are many contributing factors to contamination and these all result in the same conclusion: the premature failure of your bearings. Whether it’s improper storage or an unsanitary working environment, pollutants can compromise a bearing’s service life.

To prevent this, ensure that the right seals and lubricants such as multi-purpose grease are used. Considerations must also be made to environmental influences. If operating environments are not taken into consideration when mounting bearings, premature failure will occur.

For any bearing usage, consider potential issues such as water, external heat, and operational stress loads.

Drive with care

Installation, contamination, and incorrect assembly aren’t the only contributing factors in premature bearing failure. Collisions and poor driving conditions also contribute to faster bearing damage. For instance, a side impact can loosen bearings in the hub assembly as much as a road obstruction can do.

When vehicles hit obstructions such as curbs or potholes, the impact can cause damage. Known as brinelling, this can affect the amount of load a bearing can handle as well as its operational speed. Eventually, this will lead as well to bearing failure.

While certain collisions may be unavoidable, drivers must take care to apply situational awareness when driving to avoid environmental obstructions. Driving on a flooded street or a sharp impact from hitting a pothole or curb can contribute to a diminished bearing life.

Research shows that less than 1 percent of bearings will reach their full life expectancy. As these are not easily damaged like the other components of your wheel assembly, such as brakes and tires, one must take care to avoid early failure. Understanding these causes can ensure that future damages are prevented and bearings can have their full life expectancy.

AUTHOR BIO

Hassanein Alwan is the Marketing Director of Mineral Circles Bearings with more than 10 years’ experience in the bearing industry’s technical support division, sales and marketing, plus strategic business development consultancy.

With a degree of Master of Science in Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and an International Diploma in Business from the University of Cambridge, he started his career in Sweden as a Machine Safety engineer for Gröna Lund and as SAAB Aerosystems’ Aeronautical engineer. Today, he serves as a member of the Know Your Market Committee after joining EPTDA in 2013.